WILLARD - After winning the sectional championship last week, Buckeye Central coach Jackie Nye said the upcoming match against Monroeville in the district semifinal would be a challenge for her team despite the Buckettes having beat the Eagles 3-0 earlier in the season.

For bits and pieces of the match Tuesday night, Monroeville was the better of the two teams.

"They got us out of our serve receive and the way they were attacking the antennas threw us a little off of our game defensively," Nye said. "We weren't quite setting our blocks in the right place every time and we weren't passing the ball well, so they were aggressive and when they were on and consistent, they were the better team."

Though Monroeville was better at times, Buckeye Central was the better team by the end of the night as the Buckettes won 25-13, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23 to advance to the district championship against another familiar foe — Norwalk St. Paul.

For the past four years, the Flyers have eliminated the Buckettes in either the district semifinal or the district championship — the last two meetings going five games — and they know they'll be in for another thriller for the district crown.

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Lexi Evak smashes one at the net in the fourth game of the district semifinal.(Photo: Zach Tuggle/Telegraph-Forum)

"As hard as they played tonight, it's going to be another battle on Thursday," Nye said. "We know they're a good team, watching them play, we expect no less than what we faced tonight, so they're going to have to work even harder than they did tonight going up against the next level.

"They know what they're up against."

Buckeye Central may have had some down moments in the win over Monroeville, but the play of some key players throughout the match should give the team hope heading into the district championship.

Nothing could get past Claire Songer in the first game and throughout the rest of the match when she was on the back line.

"Any ball that was hit to her in that right back, she was digging up, she was getting to the right spot, she put the ball up for us," Nye said. "She only plays three rotations, but when she came in tonight, she was doing her job, she was doing what she knows how to do best and that's passing the ball."

Lexi Evak, Emily Stump and Ally Sostakowski were strong at the net for the Buckettes, Addie Ackerman, Bailey Agin and Spencer Kaple were quick on their feet throughout the match and Jenna Karl was — well, Jenna Karl.

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Jenna Karl sets one of her teammates in the third game of the district semifinal.(Photo: Zach Tuggle/Telegraph-Forum)

"Jenna is always going to be one of our go-to players," Nye said. "What makes her so great is she's smart when she's hitting and if you tell her to hit to a certain spot, she's going to hit it there, but she mixes up her shot so she's not hitting it to the same spot every time so she always keeps the defense guessing."

Karl had the match-winner and finished with 19 kills, 38 digs and one solo block, Stump added 15 kills and 14 digs, Ackerman dished out 40 assists and had 17 digs while Agin finished with 15 digs.

Buckeye Central faces St. Paul on Thursday evening at 8 p.m. at Willard High School for the district title.